


Skeleton Key

by Aesos



Category: Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six (Video Games)
Genre: AU, Angst, Character Death, Dedication, Feels, Infection, Infection AU, Love, M/M, Near Death, Rollercoaster of Emotions, Sorry Not Sorry, outbreak
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-14
Updated: 2018-03-14
Packaged: 2019-03-31 12:11:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13974870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aesos/pseuds/Aesos
Summary: Buck becomes infected by the Outbreak parasite...





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This one is a bit heavy. If you’re looking for fluff, this ain’t it sweetheart. That said, if you’re keen to read, please do. Be sure to comment/leave kudos if you liked it. Tell me what you liked, disliked, whatever. I love the feedback. I have also uploaded this on Tumblr, for those that watch me there too.
> 
> Also! I’m not a doctor, so my science might be a little bogus here. Those in the profession, please help me if it needs tweaking. I’m open to the help. 
> 
> This story is the brain child of @king–jackal (on Tumblr)… the idea was posted, I saw it, and my muse wanted to bring it to life.
> 
> I hope you enjoy the feels…   
> <3, Aesos

Buck, Lion and Doc cleared through to the car dealership, where Jäger’s chopper went down. They found him lying on a pile of rubble, groin and thigh, covered in blood. 

Lion and Buck set up barricades, as quickly as they could. Doc knelt down and stabilized Jäger, but he was in no condition to move yet. He muttered an “I’m fine…” but the rest of his statement was cut short by the gurgles and shuffles of the infected. Buck sighted his CAMRS and looked outside. There were starting to swarm.

“Buckle down gentlemen… we’re about to have company.” Buck warned, checking his ammo and clicking the safety off.

“Mon Dieu…” Doc breathed, and grabbed Lion’s offered hand to help him to his feet.

“My thoughts exactly.” Lion echoed, adjusting his grip on his weapon. Locked and loaded, ready to fight their way out.

They weren’t even remotely prepared for what came next. Every form conceivable showed up to play with the nearly helpless humans. Grunts ran full out towards them, to be mowed down by Lion’s automatic fire. Breachers exploded, sometimes too close, as they took fire from Doc’s shotgun. Even Bucks CAMRs rang true, landing shots on the shaman like Apex.

“Concentrate your fire on the Apex!” Lion shouted over the commotion.

The three operators trained on the Apex, and fired. Every so often, they would call out for cover while they reloaded with their precious few spare mags. The Apex quickly vanished under the focused fire, but that left the grunts to pile up into vast numbers. Breachers lumbered ever closer, jumping onto their hastily erected barricades, and blowing through them with ease. More grunts filed in.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

“Smasher!” Yelled Buck, as he heard the behemoth trudge ever closer. There was no mistaking that sound. “Tabarnak!” He cursed.

They coordinated their attack again, but had to force him to charge them first, to expose the weak area on its back. During one such baiting maneuver, Buck got knocked aside like a rag doll, and slammed against a smouldering car. He lost his breath from the impact, and felt pain all over. 

Infection spikes were everywhere and one grazed his containment suit, on his upper arm. He looked over at it, and saw that his Canadian flag patch was ripped at the seam. He breathed a sigh of relief, and got back on his shaken feet.

He ran back into the dealership to catch his breath while Doc and Lion played a twisted game of red rover with the giant. Doc managed to land a knife in the Smasher’s back and the horrific creature fell on its face, dead.

Jäger looked over at Buck. “Are you alright, friend?”

Buck smiled, and clapped Jäger on the shoulder. “I’m good, mon ami… never better!” He replied, between deep breaths.

Lion jogged back into the building and looked around. “I think we’re clear.” He looked over at Buck, who was now doubled over. “Buck… are you…”

Buck collapsed to the floor, just beside Jäger. “Doc!” Lion bellowed, calling the physician over, on the double.

Doc ran over and slid to his knees beside the downed Canadian. His breathing was fast now, bordering on too fast. “He’s hyperventilating…”

Doc looked all over Buck, trying to find the bleed or whatever it was that was causing this. He found the flapping Canadian flag patch, and lifted it with his gloved finger. Beneath it was a gouge in his bicep. No longer than a 7.62 round, but deeper than it should have been. It was black around the edges already.

“Merde!” The Frenchman swore. “Tell the chopper to bring a containment unit.” 

Lion’s head whipped around, his weapon still trained outside. “You can’t be serious…”

“I am. Buck’s suit has been breached.” Doc stated simply. The dread in his voice was clear.

“But I’m not wearing one…” Jäger remarked.

“No, but you haven’t been scratched by an infected agent.” Doc replied, pointing to the wound. “We need to get him out of here, now. Perhaps Dr. Mackintosh will have had a chance to produce an antidote.” 

Lion drew his pistol, and clicked the safety off. He aimed it straight at Buck’s temple. He was about to pull the trigger when Doc swatted the hand away, the pistol round burying itself in the concrete floor.

“What the hell, Lion! He’s one of us!” Doc fumed.

“You know how fast the infection takes hold!” Lion fired back. “He won’t make it back to base, and you know it Gus.”

“He’s passed out. That’s atypical to what little we know about the infection process. His body is fighting it, from what I can see. We just don’t know enough about the parasite. If he has some sort of resistance to it, by some miracle of fate, then we need to get him back, even more urgently.” 

The doctor omitted the part about how devastated Ryad would be if Buck had died in the field. They all knew what their occupation entailed, and it was even more dire with this uncharted situation they were up against. These weren’t terrorists… they were something much worse. Even that knowledge wouldn’t be enough to soften the blow.

Jäger looked over, and up to Lion. “I’m with the doctor on this one. Buck will fight this. He is not one to be taken down so easily.”

Lion visibly shook, growling with frustration. “Fine!” He turned and relayed the request to base.

The two able operators fought off a last wave while they waited for the helo. When they could hear the blades chopping through the night sky, they made their way outside. Doc got Jäger to his feet and helped him hobble out of the dealership. Lion picked Buck up and fireman carried him into the helo. They secured Buck in the containment unit, which looked like a cryo unit from the movies. It would hopefully keep him sedated until they got back to their base. 

Doc looked at Buck, checking his vitals. For now, he was stable, condition unchanged. The ride back to the base was silent. Jäger was reclined on the floor of the chopper, clutching at the wound above his hip. Lion was brooding at the back, his leg half out of the open door, weapon lazily aimed down to the ground while they were over the infection zone.

When they touched down, there were several medical techs standing by. They grabbed Jäger and put him on a stretcher to tend to his wounds. Then the other crew started retrieving the unit that held Buck.

As they were wheeling it into the large tent, Jackal came running out of the command tent in his fatigues. “Where is he?!” He yelled, and glanced towards Doc, and saw the unit. 

Doc turned from the chart he was filling in, and intercepted Jackal, who was heading for the unit like a runaway freight train. Ryad caught a glimpse of his loves face inside the unit. It looked peaceful, but it didn’t allay his concern. His stomach turned, and he almost punched Doc. Doc saw him tense and restrained him in a bear hug.

“Ryad, listen to me… he’s sedated. But…” Doc choked on the words. “He’s been infected.”

Ryad’s legs weakened and he started to collapse. Doc grabbed hold of him and eased him to the ground. “What?… No. Don’t tell me that! Don’t you dare!” He bellowed, his thoughts going fuzzy, like a limb falling asleep. His heart pounded in his chest.

“I know he’s fighting it, mon ami. That’s why we brought him back. He’s not out of this yet. Believe in him… as I do. He would fight through hell and back to get to you, you know.” He paused, taking a deep breath. He chose not to tell Ryad that Lion almost ruined that chance. It would only make things worse than they already were.

“The fact that he is still alive now is testament to that. I have to go with him now… I will call you if anything changes, but for now, we need to do what we can to save him. Go… be with the others. They will keep you company, at the very least.”

Ryad nodded, but couldn’t get to his feet. Lion reached down and pulled the man up, and gave him a shoulder to hold until he got his feet back under him. Jackal gave him a quiet thanks, and headed back inside. Lion let him go, his mind conflicted. He knew what the man must be feeling, but he needed to get out of his gear.

Ryad walked in a daze. Some stopped him and asked him if he was alright. In reality, he wasn't… not at all. He found a chair, and slumped into it. Frost came over, and grabbed a chair beside him.

“How is he?” She asked softly, her voice low.

“Sedated, but it’s not good. He’s infected, Tina…” his voice cracked, and his head fell between his hands. She reached over and hugged the man. She knew about his relationship with Buck. They all did.

She just held him for a while, until he was ready to move again. She felt his body hitch, and was the only one close enough to hear his sobs. Leaning her head onto his shoulder, she squeezed him a little tighter.

Buck had been her teammate for years, and she was trying to keep her own composure. For Ryad’s sake, she bit back her tears.  
“Don’t give up on him. Please, Ryad.” She whispered. “The doctors will do everything they can. Doc won’t rest until he figures this thing out.”

“I know.” He replied shakily. “I just… if I lose him…”

“I know, but don’t think that way now. He’ll need you to be there. No matter what.” 

“You’re right. I’m being selfish… I’m not the only one that cares for him.” He conceded.

“But you’re the one that loves him. We all know… and we’re all here for you. You have to know that.”

“I do. And I thank you… would you stay with me a while, until we hear something?”

“Of course.” She replied, and let him lean on her, wrapping her arms around him again… waiting for word.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here’s the conclusion… I hope you’ve enjoyed the ride. Hopefully you kept your hands and feet inside the coaster the whole time. If you liked it, PLEASE let me know. Again, credits: @king–jackal (Tumblr) for the brain child that created this, and @r6s-ywn (on Tumblr) for some help in translations <3

Doc poured over Mackintosh’s notes. His colleague’s handwriting was messier than his, but she was rushed. They all were. They were running out of time. From the limited data they had, normal infection rate was less than an hour. So far, Buck’s progression was significantly slower, but not halted. By his estimate, they only had hours to save him.

From what he could tell, Buck’s body was resisting the parasite. They hadn’t been able to deduce what it was yet, but it was there. It had to be. He leaned back into the microscopes viewer and sighed.

“Where are you?!” He mumbled to himself out of frustration. The answer was staring him in the face, yet he couldn’t see it.

He looked back up to the bed, where Buck was sedated and restrained. They erected a quarantine room around him, and the technician inside was in a containment suit, made from a stronger material. They were taking no chances.

Doc rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands. This was infuriating. He needed to take a walk. Time was against them, but so was his fatigue. He’d been on the mission too, so he was already beat. He walked down to the canteen and grabbed more coffee. It tasted like shit, compared to back home, but it would do.

As he was filling the cup, Ryad and Tina walked in. Part of him hoped they would see him, but there was no chance of that. He was the only other person in there. He just didn’t have any news to tell them, and he knew Ryad would ask. He turned around and looked at them both. He took a sip, and headed over.

“How…” Jackal started, his voice barely there. The man was hurt in a way Doc could not heal.

“He is still sedated, but it’s losing its effectiveness. He’s still fighting, but the parasite is advancing. We are trying, Ryad. Know that.” He made the words sound as sincere as he could. He couldn’t give up. It wasn’t just Buck that was at stake, but right now, he seemed to have a key they desperately needed.

“Thank you Gus. I know you’re trying your best.” Jackal hung his head for a second, but when he looked back up, he seemed a bit brighter. “Is there any way… that I could see him?”

Doc mulled it over. It couldn’t hurt. He’d be safe outside Buck’s room and if things went south… he dismissed the thought. He needed to stay positive here.

“I don’t see why not. Are you sure you want to? The parasite is… changing him, physically. If we don’t figure this out soon, he will succumb to it, and I won’t be able to stop the metamorphosis.” Doc warned.

“I know, and I don’t care. I won’t leave him alone in there.” Ryad replied. He knew that Buck wasn’t really alone, but that’s not what he meant, and everyone knew it.

“Alright. I’m headed back that way now. I can take you.” The Frenchman replied, with a nod to Tina. “You can come too, if you’d like.”

“If it’s all the same to you Doc, I’d rather not. I don’t know that I want to see him like that yet.” She looked at Jackal. “But if you need me, just have someone come get me.”

Jackal nodded, and walked with the team’s doctor. Just before the flap door of the next tent, Doc stopped and put a hand on Jackal’s shoulder. “One last chance…”

“I need to do this… but thank you Gustave.” Jackal smiled weakly.

“This way then.” He said, and parted the flaps to reveal the quarantine room. There he was, lying on the table.

Jackal stepped inside and froze.

Doc let Jackal sort himself out, and headed back to his table. Doctor Mackintosh had returned from her break as well, and looked up briefly from her notes, and smiled weakly. Doc had briefed her about Jackal’s relationship with Buck. Her eyes displayed her fatigue, but she tried to remain hopeful. Seeing Jackal, and the way he was looking at Buck… it broke her heart, but it also renewed her motivation.

Jackal’s eyes were fixed on Buck, his feet on autopilot as they brought him closer to the wall. He was lost in thought, memories flooding into his mind with every second that passed. Every one of them felt like a nail being driven into him. Seeing him like this was the hardest thing he’d ever witnessed, and he’d seen his fair share in his life.

The black veins were over half of his body now, and tiny, jet black spikes were starting to protrude from his shoulders. Every few minutes, his body would spasm, and then lie still. The monitors would bleep erratically, as his heart rate jumped and spiked wildly with each episode.

The first one Jackal saw made his gut twist, and he had to grab onto the ledge in front of him for support. “Does he feel anything?” Jackal asked, to whomever would answer.

Doc looked up, and over at Mackintosh, who also looked up. She shrugged and left the call up to Doc. The Frenchman hung his head. “Yes, and we’ve tried everything to lessen it, but I’m afraid it is not enough. What’s worse is that he is building an immunity to everything we throw at him… including the sedatives. We won’t be able to keep him under much longer. You need to know, so you can be prepared. Are you sure you still want to be here?”

“I’m sure. I won’t leave him. Not now, not ever.” He seemed to find his voice, and it was resolute. Though his heart was being ripped apart with every spasm, he had to endure.

As if to hammer Doc’s point home, Buck’s body thrashed on the bed. The spines on his shoulders seemed to elongate, growing by a few inches. “Grrrrraghhhhh!” Buck gurgled, his cry of pain evident on his twisted face. The black veins crawled up his face, and across his cheeks as his hands balled into white fists. He struggled against the restraints.

Jackal’s hands flew to the plastic windows. “Sebastien!” He yelled. Buck’s eyes were wide open as he screamed, turning redder by the second.

“Another progression.” Mackintosh stated. She flagged the tech, who still had the suit on. “Quickly! Get another blood sample! If we can catch his metabolic reaction, we might get more information.”

“Yes doctor.” The female technician responded and entered the room as quickly as possible. She drew a sample from the line that was miraculously still lodged in his arm. He hadn’t managed to knock it loose yet.

Buck’s body relaxed a bit, and he seemed to come to. “Ryyyyyad!” The technician looked up to Jackal outside the room, his forehead flat against the plastic, fingers almost clawing at it.

“Can he hear me?” Jackal asked urgently, his eyes watering.

The technician nodded.

“Seb, I’m here… I’m just outside. Please… don’t let go! Keep fighting, amor…” he pleaded, his voice wavering. “No puedo perderte…”

The tech left the room and handed the vial to Mackintosh. She took a sample, set it on a slide and threw it under a microscope. The tech rushed the vial over to Gustave, who did the same.

Mackintosh audibly gasped. “Gustave! Are you seeing this!?” She practically yelled across the room. Jackals head spun towards her, then over to Doc.

“Incroyable…” Doc breathed. “How did we miss this before?!” He exclaimed.

The sample was filled with the foreign antigen attacking his cells, but it was also saturated with hardy antibodies. They were there before, but never in such numbers.

“There are so many! He must not have been producing enough of it before. This last progression must have triggered a stronger response. I can’t believe it… Get the team in here, NOW!” She bellowed, and slammed her palm on the table.

“Gustave, start isolating that antibody… we might be able to make a serum with this.” she was frantic now, and had to take a second and breathe. This might very well be the key to this whole outbreak.

“I’m already on it!” Doc replied, his accent thick as his excitement rose.

Ryad’s spirits were raised, his heart feeling lighter. “Hold on Sebastien…”

He didn’t get to finish his thought… Buck’s body thrashed again, and his screams were unbearable. The spines grew longer still, and his eyes were glowing. It was horrific to watch…

“Ryaaaaad… I can't… the pain! Don't… don’t let this thing take meeeee!” He growled, and his body shook violently. “I love you… don't… forget that.”

Jackal was numb. The roller coaster of emotions he was feeling were more intense that he’d ever thought possible. The love of his life was fading away before his eyes, yet Buck still hung on… to him.

Looking behind him to see the rest of the medical science team stream in, he gathered that they were busy enough trying to find the cure. He walked to the airlock of the room and stepped inside. Doc saw him and yelled his name, but there were no speakers in here. It wasn’t until he stepped into the room with Buck that he could hear the Frenchman.

“Ryad, are you mad?! Get out of there.” He yelled, though he knew it was pointless. Jackal had seen his moment, and acted on it, instincts still sharp.

“You know I won’t do that Doc… he needs me here, now, more than ever. He needs to know that we haven’t left him to die. And if your serum doesn’t work, then I’d rather die by his hands than live without him.” His voice was strong, and had lost its waver. This was it. Do, or die.

Doc fought back a tear of his own, just seeing Jackal standing there with Buck. “I understand, mon ami. Bon chance.”

Jackal looked up to Doc, “And to you both.”

He took Buck’s hand in his, feeling the raised lines of the obsidian tendrils that forked across his skin. He sat on the stool beside the bed, and waited. “Estaré contigo, pase lo que pase.”

Buck’s glowing eyes settled on Jackal’s and he managed a small smile. Tears rolled down his cheeks as his breaths quickened. “At least I will see your face…” he grimaced in agony. “…when I take my final stroll…”

“Holding hands, as we’ve always done.” Ryad finished for him, knowing his lovers mind.

Again, Buck’s body started to convulse. Ryad stepped back, avoiding the spines, but he never let go of his hold on him, keeping his word. After an eternity, Doc’s voice rang through the room again.

“This is it… I don’t know if this will work, but it’s the best chance we’ve got.” He was already half dressed in a containment suit when he spoke.

Once he was fully dressed, he made his way into the room. He brought a crash cart over and prepped the devices. He inserted the syringe into the IV line. He looked back up to Mackintosh, who nodded. Her arms were crossed over her chest, and her hand cradled her chin.

All of their hopes rode on this moment. He looked down at Buck. “Are you ready?” He asked, all somber and calm.

Buck closed his radiating crimson eyes and a tear fell down his cheek. He nodded and looked back to Jackal. “I love you…. To… whatever comes.”

“Until then, I will always love you.” Jackal nodded, Doc pushed the syringe, and the serum made its way into his bloodstream. Then he took a step back and waited.

Buck suddenly lurched, and arched upwards, his back bent backwards. He hollered in pain as the serum attacked the parasite. He was hyperventilating again, and his eyes were jammed shut.

Ryad cried freely now, no longer able to contain himself. He wept while his lover gave his last to survive, clinging to his hand. He felt the bones break as Buck crushed it, but he didn’t care. The pain he felt was nothing compared to what Sebastien was going through, not by a long shot. He would pay any price to see him through this, happily.

The monitors started bleeping, readouts were spitting out data and Doc struggled to keep up. Outside in the lab, Dr. Mackintosh sat behind a laptop, watching the same readout flood across the screen.

“Gus… this is off the charts. I… I think it’s working!” She declared, double checking her findings.

“Mon Dieu!” He sounded emphatically jubilan, and rightly so.Until one monitor sounded off that he had hoped he would not hear.

Buck flatlined, his body falling limp on the table.

Doc cursed and grabbed the charged paddles, and valiantly tried to resuscitate his brother in arms. Only when Doc told him to, did Ryad let go of Buck’s hand. It fell limp to his side. Ryad cradled his shattered hand with his other, and watched in horror. Doc administered CPR, but it wasn’t having any effect.

They had been so close, yet it had all come crashing down around him. He offered a silent prayer, hoping beyond all hope.

 

Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee…..

 

The monitor never wavered, its monotone knell casting across the din. All sounds, safe for that one, faded from Ryad’s mind. It was the only one that mattered, and it burned itself into his memory.

Doc slumped, exhausted. “Time of death…” and he looked up to the clock on the wall. Ryad didn’t hear the rest, the world spinning again.

“Nooooo…” Ryad whispered, grabbing for Buck’s limp hand again with his good hand. He laced their fingers together, and pulled them both to his face. Burying his face in their clasped hands, he wept.

Doc put a hand on his shoulder, and squeezed gently as he sighed. He didn’t need to say anything. Nothing could ever be said.

Silence fell, heavy and unbearable. Doc switched off the monitor, and left Jackal and Buck in peace. His feet were like stones, and they scuffed as they dragged across the floor.

Ryad just stared… what else could he do? The ember, the spark, and fire of his life sat extinguished before him. The tears came again, and did not stop. His head collapsed to the table side, the effort to kept it up was too much.

He was about to open his mouth and say his goodbye… but Buck’s hand twitched within his own. He looked up, and Buck gasped, deeply and without warning. His eyes shot open, and he started breathing.

“Doccccc!” Ryad wailed, on his feet in an instant.

“I don’t believe…” came Gustave’s voice into the room. He threw the half open suit back on, faster than he thought possible and ran headlong into the room.

“He’s stabilizing!” He shouted, to cheers from the lab. Doctor Mackintosh started suiting up. “He’s not out of it yet, but he IS alive! We will have to wait and see if the progressions stop, but this is…” he stopped, at a loss for words, his hands in the air with uncertainty.

Ryad sat back as Mackintosh entered the room and just let the two doctors work. But he stayed, watching over his love once more.

He looked up to the heavens and said a private thank you. He had been granted a miracle, and it soothed his soul. A thought came to him, and he laughed. It was such a pure sound that both Doc and Mackintosh turned to look at him.

Tears of joy streamed down his face. “Skeleton key.”

Mackintosh looked at him quizzically. “What?”

Doc started laughing then, catching on. “He…” He began, pointing to Buck, “is our skeleton key to this outbreak.”

She still didn’t understand. “It’s part of his weaponry, an under barrel shotgun that he uses to breach through walls on our missions. It’s his specialty, and it packs one hell of a punch.”

Mackintosh clued in, and smiled. “Then I think we just found the name for our cure…”

Ryad beamed, and rested his hand on Buck’s forehead.

“It’s perfect, like him.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *No puedo perderte = I can’t lose you.
> 
> *Estaré contigo, pase lo que pase = I’ll be with you, whatever happens.


End file.
